Crash Course
by Eccentria
Summary: What happens when things take a turn for the worst? What if you begin to fear the thing you loved most? What if your savior is someone you least expect? What if you fall for them? (Zoex? R&R please)


Hi Everyone, Eccentria, mistress of run-on sentences here. Well this is it, my first fanfic ever. So, please be nice with your comments. I'm just starting to develop my style and would like constructive criticism. Not flamming without an explanation. Eventually this story will have romantic Shoujo-ai goodness with a very uncommon pairing, that I think is really cute! But, that will have to wait until later. So without further adu (Or maybe just a little...adu) I give you Chapter 1 of Crash Course.

As per usual I don't own a thing... except a muffin... wait... no that's my brother's muffin... (sad face)

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**Chapter 1: A Critical Dysfunction**

"Good evening all you SSX fans out there and welcome to the Dysfunction Junction. It's a beautiful night for today's super pipe challenge and I bet all of you are wondering just who will take home the gold. Well whoever it is you can bet we're in for one hell of a show!"

With those words burst an incredible roar of cheers from the stands. The young competitors just looked around and smiled. They were the elite and this is what they lived for. To push themselves above and beyond expectations and to feel the rush of adrenaline all the way there. This is what snowboarding is about.

As they made their way to the starting area a loud squeal suddenly erupted from the group followed by a sadistic sounding laugh. When the young veteran turned to look at the source, she couldn't help but let a bemused chuckle escape her lips. Psymon Stark had a pair of spring eyeballs on and had apparently just snuck up an unsuspecting Kaori Nishidake, who was now fuming as she spit out what sounded like a string of obscenities in her native tongue.

Just as the veteran boarder was about to put Psymon in his place for tormenting the petite Japanese girl a familiar British accent spoke up.

"All right you two, break it up. Kaori luv, you're up first."

"Hai. Arigatou, Moby-san." Kaori bounced as she turned to strap on her board.

Moby just scratched the back of his head. "I've got no idea what you've just said."

Kaori giggled, fully enjoying the fact that none of the other SSX competitors understood her. Her English had improved immensely in the past year after constant amount of intensive study. However, still she preferred to speak in Japanese unless it was absolutely necessary.

The petite girl just flashed a smile and waved happily as she took her place in the gate and turning to face the course in front of her. It was a simple half-pipe lit up so it was almost as if it was midday and the sky above was lined with millions of colourful balloons as well as a dozen or so billboards plastered with adds from SSX sponsors. Despite the simplicity and size of the course it held the potential for some incredible air.

By this time, all the competitors were sitting on the nearby benches chatting and goofing off. All except one, who was watching intently at the spectacle that was about to begin.

As the speakers boomed announcing Kaori's run up next the small, energetic girl just nodded. "Yosha, iku yo!" And with that the bouncy girl flew out of the starting gate. Barrelling down the hill at top speed before breaking into a volley of tricks, each one more astounding than the last.

As Kaori was nearing the end of her run she picked up speed and pulled the most amazing air anyone had seen in ages before going straight into a Lunch Box Pirouette Grind that seemed almost endless and left spectators and judges alike breathless. As she neared the ground below she made a point of straightening out her board to perform a landing almost as incredible as the trick itself before gliding into the finish area.

The veteran just smiled as she watched the hyper Japanese girl bounce up and down at the end of the course and she could swear she heard Kaori screaming "Yatta!" at the top of her lungs.

'Well, someone's been practicing. Guess I'm gonna have to pull out all the stocks if I'm going to have any chance of beating Nishidake.' she thought as she strapped on her board and headed to the gate.

"Go for it luv!" Moby called out to the veteran as the announcer came on once again only this time it was her name being announced instead of Kaori's.

The veteran just turned to flash the Brit a grin and a thumbs up before pushing off the gate with all her strength; trying to gain as much momentum as she could before hitting the first jump. Her mind was racing mapping out different trick combinations to perform after every jump. She was flying, pulling off tricks like Ambulance Trip NOSEBLEED to late MUTATION and Shiny Tail WAG to late NIFTY Shifty. This is what she was born to do. Soaring higher and higher until she felt almost weightless. Desperately trying to hold on... To escape the cold destiny that lay below. As she landed she realized she only had time for one more jump. Her finale would have to knock the pants off judges if she was going to secure the gold for this event.

As she flew up catching as much air as she possibly could she started into her signature move with a little extra, a Nose Picker Pommel Me. She could almost feel the stares of the crowd as she held it for an astonishing length of time.

The feeling was indescribable but as she plummeted to the ground below her foot caught in one of the bindings of her board and she slammed into the ground, hard. The force of the impact was too strong for the veteran boarder as she lay in the snow, her body a broken, crumpled mess as her board sliding down the rest of the course without her. She desperately peered through her half lidded eyes, trying to catch a glimpse of what was happening around her. Her vision was a blur of swirling light and colour as she slowly slipped into a state of unconsciousness. By now blood was beginning to trickle from a gash on her forehead and down the side of her face. Her body was badly bruised and her left leg was twisted at an ungodly angle. As all this was happening she could faintly hear the sounds of footsteps running toward her and a familiar voice calling out to her.

"Zoe! Zoe!"

Then, everything went black…

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**Translator's notes:**

"Hai. Arigatou, Moby-san." - Yes. Thank you, Moby

"Yosha, iku yo!" - Alright, let's go!

"Yatta!" - I did it!

**Author's notes:** Well, how was it? Let me know if you think I should continue this or just go back to drawing pretty pictures.


End file.
